What’s in your Maggi, Kurkure packets? FDA busts Rs 75-lakh racket in Navi Mumbai

The Maharashtra food safety regulator, in a joint operation with the Central Crime Branch, Navi Mumbai, busted a racket allegedly altering manufacturing and expiry dates on packaged food products of several well-known brands, including Maggi, Lay's and Kurkure, and seized stock worth over Rs 75 lakh from a warehouse in Turbhe.

Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) six-day operation, conducted between August 24 and 29, targeted Sadhna Enterprises, a unit in TTC Industrial Area, Turbhe, allegedly run by partners Jayprakash Sanchetiram Singh and Jaya Navrang Bahadur Singh.

According to the FDA, the establishment was being used to store food products belonging to multiple exporter companies, where the original Date of Manufacture and Expiry/Use By dates were erased using thinner and reprinted with fresh, extended dates using an inkjet printing machine.

Items found at the premises included various variants of Lay's, Kurkure, Bingo and Fun Flips alongside Maggi’s masala and atta noodles, and ready-to-make brands like Rasoi and Knorr soup, and Thumbs Up and Limca tins, and Hellmann's Mayonnaise.

FDA also alleged that new stickers bearing altered Ingredients and Nutritional Information were also pasted over original labels on products like Wagh Bakri Tea and MDH’s Kitchen King, Kasuri Methi, and Deggi Mirch. In all, action was taken against 13 exporter entities whose stock was stored at the facility.

According to the FIR, exporters who could produce valid FSSAI licences, purchase bills, and export-related paperwork had their stock cleared as genuinely meant for export. However, three parties — Unique Fragrances, Pristine Worldwide, and Vipul Doshi — failed to produce valid documentation.

Their samples have been taken for verification. Officials said the seized stock — approximately 4,942 cartons valued at Rs 75,21,269 — has been left in the safekeeping of the accused with strict instructions against their movement.

An FIR was registered based on a complaint filed by Food Safety Officer Prashant Shivram Pawar against the two partners, Sadhna Enterprises, and 10 exporter firms, including Span Impex, Novas Export. The case invokes multiple sections of the FSS Act, 2006 (Sections 3, 23, 24, 26, 50, 52, 53, 58, 59 and 66) along with provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including sections dealing with cheating and forgery.

"Maharashtra is strict about food quality and enforcement of the law. The health of consumers will not be compromised under any circumstances," Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe was quoted in the press note, adding that strict legal action would continue against those found tampering with or selling expired food.